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A Tale of Tyranny and Heartbreak #1
The Long Road to Auschwitz
The #1 Amazon charts bestseller The Long Road to Auschwitz explores the horrors of the Holocaust whilst looking to what would eventually end Nazi tyranny in Europe - the Allied soldiers landing on Normandy Beach.
A couple meet and fall in love on a Parisian street. Max is a British Territorial soldier and Zia is a Jewess from the south of France. Zia's grandmother is a wealthy socialite who owns a painting that could embarrass the Nazis. Zia is kidnapped by the Gestapo and Max is hospitalised on the same day. He awakes to find no trace of his beloved who he had planned to marry in England. The Red Cross reported that it was almost certain that Zia was trafficked across the border and delivered to Sachsenhausen Labour Camp at Oranienburg, not far from Berlin on the night of May 26th, 1939. A criminal act, regardless of the forthcoming war. The first warring Germans to step over the border onto French soil did not do so until May 13th, 1940. The Gestapo had kidnapped her 343 days before they attacked France.
June 6th, 1944 - four years later, Max is one of 150,000 Allied troops headed towards the Normandy beaches. He has two options - find the woman he could never forget or kill the people responsible for her death. From the very beginning, Berlin had ordered SS Hauptsturmführer Dieter Baumann to deal harshly with their VIP captive but never to kill her. Through three concentration camps, ending in Auschwitz, Zia wishes she had been killed many times over. Traumatized, she has no idea that Max and a few unlikely friends are battling their way through Nazi occupied Europe in a crazy attempt to rescue her. Berlin tries one last ploy to get their hands on her grandmother's painting. Zia's life hangs in the balance when Max meets his own personal nemesis in the guise of an undercover Gestapo officer. This novel explores the dark depths that humans can sink to in times of war. It is for adults only and even then; it is not for readers of a sensitive disposition. Whatever you read in this novel of extraordinary graphic Holocaust content, consider this – it was immeasurably worse, a hundred thousand times so.
A couple meet and fall in love on a Parisian street. Max is a British Territorial soldier and Zia is a Jewess from the south of France. Zia's grandmother is a wealthy socialite who owns a painting that could embarrass the Nazis. Zia is kidnapped by the Gestapo and Max is hospitalised on the same day. He awakes to find no trace of his beloved who he had planned to marry in England. The Red Cross reported that it was almost certain that Zia was trafficked across the border and delivered to Sachsenhausen Labour Camp at Oranienburg, not far from Berlin on the night of May 26th, 1939. A criminal act, regardless of the forthcoming war. The first warring Germans to step over the border onto French soil did not do so until May 13th, 1940. The Gestapo had kidnapped her 343 days before they attacked France.
June 6th, 1944 - four years later, Max is one of 150,000 Allied troops headed towards the Normandy beaches. He has two options - find the woman he could never forget or kill the people responsible for her death. From the very beginning, Berlin had ordered SS Hauptsturmführer Dieter Baumann to deal harshly with their VIP captive but never to kill her. Through three concentration camps, ending in Auschwitz, Zia wishes she had been killed many times over. Traumatized, she has no idea that Max and a few unlikely friends are battling their way through Nazi occupied Europe in a crazy attempt to rescue her. Berlin tries one last ploy to get their hands on her grandmother's painting. Zia's life hangs in the balance when Max meets his own personal nemesis in the guise of an undercover Gestapo officer. This novel explores the dark depths that humans can sink to in times of war. It is for adults only and even then; it is not for readers of a sensitive disposition. Whatever you read in this novel of extraordinary graphic Holocaust content, consider this – it was immeasurably worse, a hundred thousand times so.
449 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 14, 2019
342 people are currently reading
282 people want to read
About the author
Anthony Vincent Bruno
77 books22 followersAnthony Vincent Bruno is the pseudonym of the bestselling category author of The Long Road to Auschwitz (Heartbreak and Tyranny 1) and its follow ups - Leah's Story: Auschwitz to the Arctic Circle - The Road of Bones to a Stalinist Gulag and Rescuing Zia - the Bloodied road to Damascus. These three novels warn of extremism, both Left and Right. After warning of the dangers of Hitlerism and Stalinism, "Rescuing Zia - the Bloodied Road to Damascus" exposes the misuse of Islam's archaic sharia law. Not all Germans of the period were Nazis and not all Russians were Soviet hardliners and in the case of the third book, the author points out that not all Islamic fundamentalists are bloodthirsty jihadists. "We just have to be on our guard against extremists hidden within the masses."
Among the author's most prominent works, are the SAS Special Forces orientated "Wicked Will Perish" series which has generated close to 100,000 downloads.
Versality being a thing these days, do not miss the audio book versions of "Never Again" and the outrageous comedy "Sex, Lies and the Bomb." "The Long Road to Auschwitz" audio book has just been released and many a listener gauges it to be without equal in terms of the voice acting. A remarkable performance by Ed Beasley.
Regarding the author's Clinton biography photo, "it was our job to protect people, not approve of them."
The author survived seven brushes with death and had a recent dalliance with the dreaded pancreatitis. It must mean one life left? "Going to give it some! Life is so precious. I cannot fathom why I am still here. Christ would be my bet, but it is so uncool these days to say such a thing. My belief is unshakable." AVB.
Among the author's most prominent works, are the SAS Special Forces orientated "Wicked Will Perish" series which has generated close to 100,000 downloads.
Versality being a thing these days, do not miss the audio book versions of "Never Again" and the outrageous comedy "Sex, Lies and the Bomb." "The Long Road to Auschwitz" audio book has just been released and many a listener gauges it to be without equal in terms of the voice acting. A remarkable performance by Ed Beasley.
Regarding the author's Clinton biography photo, "it was our job to protect people, not approve of them."
The author survived seven brushes with death and had a recent dalliance with the dreaded pancreatitis. It must mean one life left? "Going to give it some! Life is so precious. I cannot fathom why I am still here. Christ would be my bet, but it is so uncool these days to say such a thing. My belief is unshakable." AVB.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
September 2, 2019
An good book
A beautiful story of two people who had a love for each other that transcended time and place. This was a great story!
A beautiful story of two people who had a love for each other that transcended time and place. This was a great story!
January 16, 2020
Well written, thought provoking mans inhumanity to his fellow man shown here in graphic detail. The holocaust deniers would have us believe it never happened, IT DID HAPPEN, should any surviving SS men be hauled in front of a court to atone for their past bestiality, yes a thousand times yes.
This is also an uplifting tale of one mans love for his soulmate and her unswerving faith that he would find her. A truly amazing work of art.
This is also an uplifting tale of one mans love for his soulmate and her unswerving faith that he would find her. A truly amazing work of art.
October 23, 2019
Not good
It is a rare occasion when I give up on a book but this one i did. It was nothing to do with brutality described or the use of expletives. I think it was the way it was written although on that i can't be sure. For me the whole book was just awful.
It is a rare occasion when I give up on a book but this one i did. It was nothing to do with brutality described or the use of expletives. I think it was the way it was written although on that i can't be sure. For me the whole book was just awful.
August 30, 2020
Heartbreaking
This book was heart wrenching and I was close to tears. A must read book but not for those with faint hearts !!
This book was heart wrenching and I was close to tears. A must read book but not for those with faint hearts !!
May 22, 2022
Amazing
I read this book and it makes you realise just how lucky we are to be alive and by not being in Auschwitz no one really knows what happened to all those people.
I read this book and it makes you realise just how lucky we are to be alive and by not being in Auschwitz no one really knows what happened to all those people.
September 14, 2023
Harrowing !!!
So terrible the things. That happened . I read to remember the people that died during forgettable times. God Bless. Amen.
So terrible the things. That happened . I read to remember the people that died during forgettable times. God Bless. Amen.
September 27, 2023
Excellent book about Auschwitz and the horrors that Jewish people went thru by the Nazis. Well written and worth reading
November 19, 2023
long and windy road
You must love and hate this book . Hate that it was even possible to be written,hate the subject of Auschwitz ,love Max and Zia, love how well it is written.
You must love and hate this book . Hate that it was even possible to be written,hate the subject of Auschwitz ,love Max and Zia, love how well it is written.
October 31, 2024
amazing book
One of the best holocaust stories I’ve ever read.
This author is truly fantastic. I can’t wait to read another one of his books.
One of the best holocaust stories I’ve ever read.
This author is truly fantastic. I can’t wait to read another one of his books.
September 23, 2021
Humanity never learned
Entering the gates of nazi concentration camps couldn't possibly be any better than actually entering hades. I found the descriptions of the horrific brutality against the inmates of the camps very difficult to believe, but that is simply because I wasn't even born then. However men's propensity towards his fellow brings has never stopped even for one day since the second world war ended. Stalin and the gulags, the partition of India, Malaysia, Suez, Palestine, Aden, the Congo, Biafra, Rawanda, Afghanistan, Kashmir, Korea, Vietnam, the middle East, the former Yugoslave and Northern Ireland. Not to mention years of Islamic jihad. Will we humans ever learn?
Entering the gates of nazi concentration camps couldn't possibly be any better than actually entering hades. I found the descriptions of the horrific brutality against the inmates of the camps very difficult to believe, but that is simply because I wasn't even born then. However men's propensity towards his fellow brings has never stopped even for one day since the second world war ended. Stalin and the gulags, the partition of India, Malaysia, Suez, Palestine, Aden, the Congo, Biafra, Rawanda, Afghanistan, Kashmir, Korea, Vietnam, the middle East, the former Yugoslave and Northern Ireland. Not to mention years of Islamic jihad. Will we humans ever learn?
August 31, 2023
This is such a hard review, how can I like something so sinister? Though disgusting, I appreciated the graphic content of concentration camp violence - I had no idea. I hated every word I read through no fault of the author. The book kept me reading way too late. The premise of the love story was excellent. I’d suggest an editor to tighten up the story while keeping pertinent info. The ending of the love story was good but a little hard to follow. The visitor ending was too far fetched for me. I loved the dual POV but please label the chapters as to who’s telling the story. Would I read this again? Yes. Definitely.
August 6, 2025
I found this book, as with many others, written about the Holocaust, to be educational/informative. I also felt the descriptions of violence were overused, overly graphic, and too repetitive.
The one thing about this book that I found distracting was in the audio version. The AI voices were terrible. I enjoy listening to the audio while reading the text, but I could not listen without being distracted by the "wooden" sound of the people on the audio. Just dreadful. I wish there had been some warning at the beginning of the book that the audio was generated via AI.
Still, I felt that the content of the book deserved four stars.
The one thing about this book that I found distracting was in the audio version. The AI voices were terrible. I enjoy listening to the audio while reading the text, but I could not listen without being distracted by the "wooden" sound of the people on the audio. Just dreadful. I wish there had been some warning at the beginning of the book that the audio was generated via AI.
Still, I felt that the content of the book deserved four stars.
June 9, 2025
It can happen here
While this is ultimately a love story about a French woman and a British man, it is told through the atrocities of Nazi concentration camps and the horrors of war. The depravity of the guards, SS troops, and others in the wanton killing, maiming, and humiliation of those unfortunate souls being held in the camps or worked to death at other camps is intended to remind us that the Holocaust occurred and was far worse than history books depicted. We must never forget or allow history to be whitewashed.
While this is ultimately a love story about a French woman and a British man, it is told through the atrocities of Nazi concentration camps and the horrors of war. The depravity of the guards, SS troops, and others in the wanton killing, maiming, and humiliation of those unfortunate souls being held in the camps or worked to death at other camps is intended to remind us that the Holocaust occurred and was far worse than history books depicted. We must never forget or allow history to be whitewashed.
July 31, 2020
My Thoughts
This book had too much bad language in it, especially the use of the F word. Was not needed in the storyline.. I don't think this word was used in those years, the 1940s like it is frequently used now..I finished school in 1957 and never heard the word till much later in life and that very seldom..Ruins a book..I will not but anymore of this author's books.
This book had too much bad language in it, especially the use of the F word. Was not needed in the storyline.. I don't think this word was used in those years, the 1940s like it is frequently used now..I finished school in 1957 and never heard the word till much later in life and that very seldom..Ruins a book..I will not but anymore of this author's books.
September 24, 2023
Heartbreak and true love.
I liked everything about this book. It was the best book I have read in years. It painted a horrific picture of the holocaust and also of the treatment of the prisoners of war detained by the Nazis in world war 2 . Combined with a surprise ending which you won't see coming.
I liked everything about this book. It was the best book I have read in years. It painted a horrific picture of the holocaust and also of the treatment of the prisoners of war detained by the Nazis in world war 2 . Combined with a surprise ending which you won't see coming.
September 21, 2020
I think I enjoyed it....
I was almost delaying going to bed knowing i was going to be reading yet another horrific chapter of this story. Most graphic account of those camps i have read. Doesn't seem right to say I enjoyed reading about the things that happened.
I was almost delaying going to bed knowing i was going to be reading yet another horrific chapter of this story. Most graphic account of those camps i have read. Doesn't seem right to say I enjoyed reading about the things that happened.
July 6, 2020
Powerful! The power of good and evil needs to never be forgotten.
Read
August 8, 2020I read a lot of books on the war with Germany. But this one tho it did keep me reading is way too long. Also it has somewhat ridiculous Parts to its story. Particularly the ending.
December 19, 2025
One of the best books ive ever read. Excellent
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews